Best movies & TV Shows like Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure

Clarissa Dickson Wright tracks down Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury. This 700-year-old scroll was written during the reign of King Richard II from recipes created by the king's master chefs. How did this ancient manuscript influence the way people eat today? On her culinary journey through medieval history she reawakens recipes that have lain dormant for centuries and discovers dishes that are still prepared now.

Lauren Hennessey has always loved to cook and is a proud perfectionist at her job at "Food & Entertainment Magazine's" test kitchen while she dreams of being able to finally afford culinary school in Paris. When her boss offers her a bonus if she agrees to ghostwrite the cookbook of a difficult celebrity chef, Lauren sees her dream becoming a reality as soon as she can tame the notorious bad boy chef in question, Dexter Durant. Slowly peeling back the layers of Dexter's tough-guy persona, she starts seeing a different, vulnerable side to this big-shot chef. Suddenly, their dueling culinary styles become the perfect complement in the kitchen and an attraction between them starts to boil over.

With a unique perspective of the accompanying cameraman of Premier Zhou Enlai, the film tactfully tells the story that Premier Zhou went to the old revolutionary base area of Hebei Province at the beginning of the 1960s when our country suffered from the Great Chinese Feminine. He made in-depth research in Boyan commune of Handan District, work closely with the masses, followed up a clue and seized the culprit in four days and nights.

The film "The Salt Caravan," adapted from the novel, tells the story of the Artesian Salt Caravan in southern Sichuan, 1936, passing through the ancient salt horse road of the Southern Silk Road and going through difficulties and dangers to deliver salt to the front line of the defense of western Yunnan.

Anthony Bourdain uncovers the best cuisine across the world. At each location, Tony dives headfirst into life's colorful and rich pageant, bringing his intellectual curiosity, empathy, wit and boundless appetite.

Bourdain travels across the globe to uncover little-known areas of the world and celebrate diverse cultures by exploring food and dining rituals. Known for his curiosity, candor, and acerbic wit, Bourdain takes viewers off the beaten path of tourist destinations – including some war-torn parts of the world – and meets with a variety of local citizens to offer a window into their lifestyles, and occasionally communes with an internationally lauded chef on his journeys.

Barefoot Contessa is an American cooking show that premiered November 30, 2002 on Food Network. The show is hosted by celebrity chef Ina Garten. Each episode features Garten assembling dishes of varying complexity. Though her specialty is French cuisine, she occasionally prepares American, Asian, British and Italian foods. Her show also gives tips on decorating and entertaining.

Giada De Laurentiis lets her hair down as she demonstrates her love for cooking and entertaining California-style in this disarmingly laid-back show that allows De Laurentiis to venture far afield from her usual Italian culinary fare.

Follow Gordon Ramsay as he meets with indigenous people around the globe to learn about the cultures, dishes and flavors unique to each location. Each episode concludes with Ramsay challenging himself with a local food legend by his side - putting his newfound skills to the test as they cook a feast together for the natives.

Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show is produced by Food Network, which also carried a dubbed version of the original Iron Chef. Like the original Japanese program, the program is a culinary game show. In each episode, a new challenger chef competes against one of the resident "Iron Chefs" in a one-hour cooking competition based on a secret ingredient or ingredients, and sometimes theme. The show is presented as a successor to the original Iron Chef, as opposed to being a remake. The Chairman is portrayed by actor and martial artist Mark Dacascos, who is introduced as the nephew of the original Japanese chairman Takeshi Kaga. The commentary is provided solely by Alton Brown, & Kevin Brauch is the floor reporter. The music is written by composer Craig Marks, who released the soundtrack titled "Iron Chef America & The Next Iron Chef" by the end of 2010. In addition, regular ICA judge and Chopped host Ted Allen provided additional floor commentary for two special battles: Battle First Thanksgiving and Battle White House Produce.

Britain's top chefs compete for the chance to cook a four-course banquet for a high-profile figure.

Equipment reviews, taste tests, and recipes from the test kitchen to the home cook. A team of test cooks that viewers have come to love and trust deconstruct recipes and reveal the test kitchen’s secrets to foolproof cooking at home.

One of the first cooking shows on American television, created and hosted by Julia Child on public television to introduce the French way of cooking. It emphasized fresh ingredients, many of which were unfamiliar to Americans. Based on the books she co-authored, entitled Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Two Fat Ladies was a BBC Two television cooking programme starring Clarissa Dickson Wright, and Jennifer Paterson. It originally ran for four series, from 1996 to 1999. The show was produced by the BBC and has also appeared on the Food Network and Cooking Channel in the U.S. and on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Australia.

With 15,000 Chinese restaurants in Britain, Chinese food has recently been voted the UK's favourite takeaway. In the next six episodes, Ching-He Huang shows how delicious Chinese food can be made at home with easy-to-prepare recipes using healthy and easily found ingredients.

People's Century is a television documentary series examining the 20th century. It was a joint production of the BBC in the United Kingdom and PBS member station WGBH Boston in the United States. First shown on BBC in 1995, the 26 parts of one hour deal with the socio-economic, political, and cultural movements that shaped the 20th century. The documentary won an International Emmy Award, among others. A departure from other documentaries that observe history as the actions of great men, People's Century considers the Century from the view of common people. Most persons interviewed were ordinary men and women who closely witnessed various events and they give personal accounts how developments in the Twentieth Century affected their lives. The opening credits depict various images from the century, accompanied with a theme music score by Zbigniew Preisner. A very short introduction of the episode would then follow, often illustrated by a dramatic event that illustrates the episode's particular theme coming to the fore. The British version was narrated by Sean Barrett and Veronika Hyks, the American by actors John Forsythe and Alfre Woodard. People's Century was coproduced by the BBC and WGBH with executive producers Peter Pagnamenta and Zvi Dor-Ner, respectively; along with producer David Espar.

Unique Eats is a TV series on Cooking Channel about various restaurants across the United States and their signature dishes. The show features talking head interviews with various chefs and food critics who give their judgement about the foods. Each episode focuses on one theme, such as "comfort foods" or "desserts".

This series explores the history, traditions and culture of Chinese food. Filmed at over 160 locations across China, this series truly is a feast for the senses. The seven-episode documentary series introduces the history and story behind foods of various kinds in more than 160 locations in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The documentary has also been actively encouraged as a means of introducing Chinese food culture to those unfamiliar with local cuisine.

Chef Jamie Oliver travels across Europe and North Africa to find authentic ingredients to prepare recipes.

Two Greedy Italians is a BBC television series that first aired on BBC Two in the UK on May 4, 2011. The series sees the chefs Gennaro Contaldo and Antonio Carluccio travelling around Italy to see how society and food has evolved over the years. It was produced by Nicola Gooch. An accompanying cookery book was produced for the series. A second series was broadcast in April and May 2012. The series has also been sold and broadcast internationally, including on the Australian channels ABC and SBS, and the Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Bizarre Foods America is an American television series, and a spin-off of Bizarre Foods, this time focusing on the United States rather than international travel. Andrew Zimmern travels to various cities throughout the country and samples local cuisines and ways of life. The format is similar to Bizarre Foods. The show premiered Monday January 23, 2012 at 9:00 ET on Travel Channel. Much like the popular Bizarre Foods, Andrew heads to some of the most unique food hubs in the country. Once there he meets with locals and local chefs to gain a better understanding of American cuisine and to see how America has developed its reputation as a melting pot of cultures and foods and what sort of unusual foods people in America might have in their own cities and not realize.

A culinary journey across twelve regions, each with their own unique cultures, culinary stories and traditions. Celebrated chef, Luke Nguyen, in the third instalment of his popular series, takes us on a culinary journey across the Greater Mekong region of southeast Asia. Beginning in southwest China, Luke explores the culinary cultures and centuries old traditions of Yunnan Province, from the Naxi people of Lijiang to the Dai communities of Xishuangbana.

The three-time James Beard award-winning and Emmy nominated TV series “Pati’s Mexican Table” brings authentic Mexican flavors, colors, textures and warmth into your home. Pati Jinich is a former policy analyst, focused on Latin American politics and history, turned chef, cookbook author, and TV host whose true passion lies in sharing the tastes of her childhood and culinary adventures in her native country. In each episode, Pati embarks upon an exciting and entertaining journey, where each dish serves as a point of departure into Mexico’s rich history and culture, Pati’s personal experiences, her family life, and her ongoing conversations with cooks in both Mexico and the US.

Lidia’s Kitchen is the quintessential culinary masterclass with beloved chef, Emmy-winning TV host, and author Lidia Bastianich as your private chef-instructor. In this comprehensive new season, Lidia’s passion for teaching is evident. She not only describes proper techniques to prepare foods of all kinds in classic and new Italian recipes, she guides viewers through the vast sea of subtle flavors, imparting tips about how to buy and store ingredients. After 25 years of writing cookbooks and 18 years on public television, this season is Lidia’s most complete work on Italian cuisine yet. Nourish your soul with the goodness of genuine Italian hospitality and family recipes from Lidia’s Kitchen to yours.

Cooking with Master Chefs was a PBS television cooking show that featured Julia Child visiting 16 celebrated chefs in the United States. An episode that featured Lidia Bastianich was nominated for a 1994 Emmy Award. Other chefs she visited included Emeril Lagasse, Jacques Pépin, and Alice Waters. The show featured a companion book of the same name, published in 1993. Reruns of the show currently air on Create.

Relaxed, inspiring and as mouthwatering as ever, Nigella Lawson's latest series shows us that what - and how - we cook really can make us feel better and more alive. Packed with new recipes and tips designed to make our lives easier, Nigella proves that whatever the occasion, food, in the eating and the making, should always be pleasurable.

Strictly Judge Len Goodman has never eaten spaghetti or had a curry - now chef Ainsley Harriott is taking him around the country in a bid to educate his palate.

Dr Sam Willis reveals how the Silk Road was the world's first global superhighway where people with new ideas, new cultures and new religions made exchanges that shaped humanity.

The Hairy Bikers cook some of their favourite comfort food. From feasts for friends and family to meals inspired by pub grub, they create the ultimate feel-good dishes.

Sample the bold new flavors of France with chefs who are pushing the boundaries of fine dining and reinventing a rich culinary tradition.

To find out about the food she feeds her family, Nadiya meets fishermen, farmers, chefs and producers across the country and creates delicious new recipes inspired by their produce.

Pastry chef Claire “Half-Sour” Saffitz attempts to make gourmet versions of popular snacks and desserts without the hard-to-pronounce chemical ingredients.

Three big egos, one small van. Gordon, Gino and Fred pack up their camper van once again and head off on a European adventure, but this time it's personal as each episode takes us on a tour of their cherished homelands. With three countries, three weeks and three coqs au vin in close confinement what could possibly go wrong?

Delve into the delectable world of Chaoshan cuisine, explore its unique ingredients and hear the stories of the people behind its creation. In the second series of "Flavorful Origins", we discover the cuisine of Yunnan . The third series of Flavorful Origins takes us around the cuisine of Gansu.

Embark on a global cultural journey into street food and discover the stories of the people who create the flavorful dishes.

Shane, an ambitious, energetic chef and his young daughter Izzy run a restaurant in the town of Munchington. Every day is a recipe for adventure for Shane and Izzy and each episode will focus on his high energy exploits and passion for food, whether it’s trying to build the biggest baguette for the world record, finding wild herbs in the woods or growing large vegetables for the village county fair.

Writer, director and food enthusiast Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi explore food in and out of the kitchen with accomplished chefs and celebrity friends.

In this four-part documentary series, leading Hollywood actors undertake a fascinating journey into their family's past by re-tracing the footsteps of their grandparents during World War Two. We follow the moving, personal stories of Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Carey Mulligan as they travel to historic locations, from the beaches of Dunkirk to prisoner of war camps in Asia, to learn about the war their grandparents experienced. All of the actors have unanswered questions about the scars war left on their grandparents, and in each episode one of the actors explore how six years changed the lives of their family and the world forever while learning about the life and death decisions that their grandparents faced.

Vegan chefs Henry Firth and Ian Theasby cook up their favourite recipes showing just how accessible and tasty vegan cuisine can be.

In this vibrant docuseries, Latin American chefs tell their stories and bring a taste of tradition and innovation to their delicious offerings.

James May is not a chef. But that’s the whole point: you don’t need to be a brilliant cook to make delicious food. Transporting us to the Far East, the Med, and the local pub – all from the comfort of a home economist’s kitchen – he’ll knock up delicious recipes that you can actually make yourself, with ingredients you can actually buy. And all without the usual television cooking format trickery.

Since social distancing at home, Selena Gomez has been spending more time in the kitchen than she ever imagined. But despite her many talents, it remains to be seen if cooking is one of them. In each episode, Selena will be joined remotely by a different master chef.

Giada De Laurentiis travels the globe to visit exotic and luxurious locales, from the South Pacific to the Mediterranean coast. In each dazzling destination, Giada gets up close and personal to experience the local food, culture and breathtaking scenery.

In this new series Rick Stein reveals the Cornwall that he knows and loves: a unique part of the British isles with a strong sense of identity and a history rooted in its Celtic past. With his famous natural inquisitiveness, Rick shares the road less travelled – championing the food, history, music, art and culture of the county many locals argue should be a country in its own right.

Stanley Tucci travels across Italy to discover the secrets and delights of the country’s regional cuisines.

Celebrated chef Michel Roux takes us on a culinary adventure through the South of France to create the simple French food he loves to eat when he’s relaxing on holiday.

Roadfood: Discovering America One Dish at a Time is a new PBS TV show that aims to re-discover America’s regional culture through its iconic dishes. Our host, Misha Collins, will hit the highways and byways of America, exploring a uniquely American dish in each episode. Meeting local cooks, pit-masters, bakers, cafe owners, and proprietors of local eating establishments, Misha will explore the roots of a dish through these modern culinary folk artisans.

Get a taste of the most beloved bites on American streets and, along the way, discover the heart, soul and wildly diverse real people behind the food.

Follow rock star celebrity chef Alisa Reynolds as she discovers what soul food looks like around the world. As she seeks out the food, she also explores the stories, the people, and the traditions of each place she visits, bringing her own flavor right along with her.

Carla Hall travels around the world to track down the unexpected lineage and international origins of America's favorite dishes.